Operating mechanism for lathes



oct. 12, 1948. R, G, E TOURNEAU 2,450,972

Oct. 12, 1948. R, G, LE TOURNEAU v 2,450,972

OPERATING MEGHANISM FOR LATHES Filed June 10, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' INVENTOR.

R. G LeYburneau MLM Patented Oct. 12, 1948 `c NIT-ED STATES oFFicE 2,450,972 I OPEEAI'IIING` MECHANI'SM LIVI'IES vRobert G. Le Tourneau, PeoriafI l.\', assignor lto R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., Stockton,

- poration of California Application June Y10, 1946, SerialJNo..,6-'75,f632 1 claim. (crac-32) l The .present invention isjdirected to an -improved operating mechanism for lathes, andv in particular it is an object to provide a novel ymechanism yfor Ypower advancing or retracting -a 4lathe carriage.

rAnother object of the invention is to provide a xlathe,carriage operating mechanism, asl above, wherein the power means is a fluid pressure actuated power cylinder unit disposed between the ways of the lathe; the cylinder being bored directly in the bed of the lathe longitudinally thereof, and the piston rod of said unit being connected to the lathe carriage. l

The advantages of the mechanism as in the preceding paragraph, reside in the fact that the cylinder unit is out of the way of the position and motion path of all other parts on the lathe, and electively imparts accurate longitudinal movement to the carriage without binding transversely on the ways.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and adjustable stop assembly on the lathe arranged to mechanically, positively, and accurately limit advance of the carriage and supported tool to a predetermined extent; such stop assembly being mounted'in connection with the end of the piston rod of the power cylinder unit opposite the end thereof which is connected to the carriage.

It is also an object to provide an operating mechanism for lathes, as described, which is especially adaptable to heavy duty machines, yet is simple and eliminates the substantial mounting means and reinforcement which would be necessary were the cylinder an initially separate member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical operating mechanism for lathes, and one which will be eiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specication and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross section through the lathe bed ahead of the carriage, and power cylinder unit.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the bed in the portion thereof in which the cylinder is formed.

Fig. 3 is a iragmentarylongitudinal sectional elevation showing the power cylinder unit as formed in the bed of the lathe and as connected to the carriage; the piston of the cylinder unit,

Yand the carriage, being shown in correspondingly retracted positions.

Calif., 'a cor- Fig. 4 is a view similar to-Fig. 3 but-shows the piston of they cylinder unit, and the carriage, -in correspondingly advanced positions.

Referring hows-more particularly to the characters. of reference on the drawings, the numeral I indicates the bed of a lathe formed as usual-with ways 2, on which. a carriage l3 is lslid'able lengthwise of said bed.; Lthe carriage 3 'being 'fitted with a cross slide Il to which the tool or tool 'holdri's adapted to be secured.

Adjacent one end of the bed I the latter is formed with an enlarged portion 5 between the ways 2, and a longitudinal cylinder 6 is bored in said enlarged portion 5, as shown.

The cylinder 6 is Iitted, at opposite ends,- with end heads 'I secured in place by cap screws 8; each such head 'I being provided with a central bore 9. A piston rod IIl extends axially through the cylinder 6 and projects beyond opposite ends thereof through corresponding bores 9; there being seals I I in each bore 9 in close surrounding relation to the piston rod.

Beyond the forward end of the cylinder 6 the bed I includes a V-trough I2 into which the adjacent end of the piston rod IIJ extends. On said adjacent end the piston rod I0 is tted with a radially upstanding connector plate I3 which is secured by attachment screws I Il in abutting relation to the forward end of the carriage 3.

Within the cylinder 6 the piston rod I0 is fitted with a piston I5; said piston being disposed on said rod at a point such that when the piston is retracted, as in Fig. 3, the carriage 3 is correspondingly retracted. Similarly when the piston is advanced, as in Fig. 4, the carriage is likewise advanced.

The described power cylinder unit is doubleacting so that the carriage may be power advanced or retracted, selectively, by the operator, or automatically, through the medium of a valve controlled fluid pressure system (not shown).

, Such fluid pressure system includes ducts I6 in the'end heads and through which ducts fluid pressure is fed to, 0r discharged from, the power cylinder unit, depending on the direction of motion of the piston I5.

At the end opposite the connector plate I3, i. e. at the outer end of the cylinder unit, the piston rod I0 is threaded, as at I1, and a pair of lock nuts I8 are adjustably threaded onto said portion I1 of the piston rod. Between the lock nuts I8 and the adjacent end head I the piston rod I0 is surrounded by a motion limiting sleeve I9. It will be seen that dependent upon the length of the motion limiting sleeve I9, and the adjusted position of the lock nuts I8, the extent of advance of the piston rod I0 and the connected carriage may be effectively and accurately controlled.

The motion limiting sleeve I9 is removable so that sleeves of dilerent lengths may be placed on the piston rod I0, depending upon the extent of desired travel of the carriage 3. The lock nuts I8 are employed to give any exact adjustment which may be necessary in order to accurately limit carriage advance.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a Vdevice as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as dened by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

A lathe carriage operating means comprising a lathe bed, such bed consisting of a substantially solid metal block and including integral transversely spaced apart carriage ways, such 4 bed being provided with a cylindrical bore adjacent one end of the bed, such bore being disposed below and between the ways, the bed being provided with an upwardly opening trough commencing at a point adjacent the inner end of the bore and extending toward the opposite end of the bed, said trough lying between the ways, a piston disposed for reciprocating movement within the bore, a piston rod on the piston projecting out of the bore and into the trough, and means on the outer end of the piston for connecting the same with a carriage riding the Ways.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

